Railway traffic controlling apparatus



Dec. 15, 1931. H. A. WALLACE 1,836,945

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS 7 Original Filed Sept. 8, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR:

Dec. 15,1931. H. A. WALLACE RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 8, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR H.H-. Wallaoa, -67 QK'W Dec. 15, 1931. WALLACE I 1,836,945

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Original Filed Sent. 8, 1925 .3 Sheets-Sheet 3 5 Amplif mg appara Z15 Jevzce b INVENTOR I H.P(. z/laae,

Mal/mm Patented Dec. 15, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERBER'BA. WALLACE, F EDGEWOOD BO'IlEtOUTG-I-I' PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO UNIOIE SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Original application filed September 8, 1923, Serial No. 661,672. Divided. and this application filed Juli 23,

1930. Serial My invention relates to railway traffic controlling apparatus.

I will describe several forms of apparatus embodying my invention, and will thenpoint out the novel features thereof in claims.

The present application is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 661,672, filed September 8, 1923, for Railway traliic controlling apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing one form of traclzway apparatus embodying my invention. Figs. 2-, 3 and 1, are views showing modifications of the trackway apparatus shown in F 1 and also embodying'my invention. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View showing one form of train-carried apparatus embodying my invention and suitable for cooperation with the trackway apparatus shown in 1, 2, 3 and 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the reference characters 1 and 1 designate the track rails of a railroad over which traffic normally moves from left to right. These rails are divided by means of insulated joints 2 into a plurality of successive track sections D E, EF, etc, the rails of each such section being made electrically continuous. Each track section is provided with a track relay located adiacent the entrance end of the section and designated by the reference character it with an exponent corresponding to the location. Each track rela is of the direct current polarized type, comprising a neutral armature 115 and a polarized armature 116. It will be clear from the foregoing that when a section is unoccupied, the associated track relay will be energized in one direction or the other, depending upon the polarity of the current supplied to the section. When this current is of normal polarity, the relay will be energized in the normal directionand contact 116 will. then be swung to the right, thus closing contact 116-416". When the current is of reverse polarity, the relay will be energized in the reverse direction and contact 116116 will then be closed. Each section is further provided with two slow-acting relays located adjacent the entrance end of the section and designated by the reference characters J and K, with exponents corresponding to the location. Referring particularly to section EF, relay J is energized only when track relay N is energized in the reverse direction, the circuit being from a battery m through wire 13, front contact 115115 and reverse contact 116116 of relay IF, the relay J and wire 1'? tobattery m When track relay .h is energized in the normal directron, relay K is energized by battery m through front contact 115115 and normal contact 116-116 of relay h When relay H is deenergized, relays J and K are both deenergized.

Each track section is provided with a sig nal designated by the reference character S with a. suitable exponent' As here shown, each signal is located adjacent the entrance end of the associated section,'and is of the three-position semaphore type comprising a semaphore blade capable of assuming three distinctive positions in which the signal displays a proceed, a .caution, or a stop indication, although this particular location and construction is not necessary. Each signal is controlled by the associated relays J and K. Referring particularly to section EF, the proceed circuit for signal S is from battery m through contact 21 of relay K and the operating mechanism of signal S to battery m The caution circuit for signal S includes contact 25 of relay J E as will be obvious from the drawings. It follows thatwhen relay J is energized signal S displays a caution indication, when relay K is energized signal S displays a proceed indication, and when both of these relays are deenergized signal S displays a stop indication.

Each track section is also provided with a circuit controller designated by the reference character A with an appr priate corresponding exponent. Each of these circuit controllers, as here shown, comprises three movable contact fingers 341, 114: and :29, adapted to swing in unison on their pivots and to cooperate with certain fixed contacts, which fingers are biased to their extereme left-hand positions by a pendulum 32. These fingers are operated by an electromagnet 27, which is provided with a circuit including the associated battery m and contact 29 of the circuit controller itself. lVhen contact finger 29 is in its left-hand position, magnet 27 is energized, thus drawing all three of the contact fingers toward their right-hand positions. This movement opens the circuit for'magnet 27, which allows the fingers to swing back to their left-hand positions. The pendulum 32 not only biases the contact fingers, but also stabilizes the controller and renders very constant the time period of oscillation. For purposes of convenience, it will be understood that. whenever hereinafter I refer to a stroke of a circuit controller A, I mean a movement of the contact fingers from left to right, or from right to left; whereas when I refer to a cycle of a circuit controller A, I mean a complete oscillation consisting of two consecutive strokes. The time period required for a cycle obviously may be adjusted to any desired value, and for purposes of convenience in explanation, I will assume that each controller A requires one second of time to complete a stroke, and hence two seconds for each complete cycle. I

Contact finger 34% engages a fixed contact 34 or 34* only for a brief interval at the two ends of its stroke. Finger 114 bears on a contacting segment 114s provided with several teeth adjacent one end. It will be plain that as finger 114 moves back and forth, the circuit including contact 11el114l will be closed throughout the greater part of each cycle, but will be briefly interrupted several times at the left-hand end of each cycle.

Referring particularly to section EF, this section is supplied with continuous direct track circuit current of reverse polarity when signal S indicates stop, over the following circuit: from one terminal of a source of direct current such as battery Z through pole-changer P operated by signalS wire 117, rail 1 of section EF, relay W or a shunt across the rails of the section, rail 1, wires 118 and 119, circuit controller N operated by signal S wire 120, and pole-changer P back to battery Z At the same time a circuit is closed for an auxiliary relay which circuit is from battery m through wires 36 and 124;, circuit controller O operated by signal S wire 125, relay 72 wire 126, back contact 127127 of relay 70 wire 128, contact 3434 or 3 1-3 1 of controller A and wires 129 and 35 back to battery m This circuit is closed once during each stroke of controller A and while it is closed relay 70 is caused to vibrate because the circuit for this relay includes its own back contact 127-127". Each time relay ZJ becomes energized, a path of low resistance is completed across the rails of section EF as follows: from rail 1, through wire 121, front contact 122122 and wire 123 to rail 1 It will thus be clear that under these conditions, that is, when signal S is at stop, section EF is supplied with continuous direct current between point F and point B, whereas, between points E and B, the continuous direct current track circuit is intermittently shunted several times during each stroke of controller A thus breaking up the current into a group of impulses. This I will term the caution code. During the interval between each two groups, steady direct current flows in the track circuit but this current cannot affect the train-carried apparatus, as wil be explained hereinafter. The polarity of the current thus supplied to the rails of section EF is such that relay N is energized in the reverse direction. Signal. S therefore indicates caution. Under this condition, the circuit for relay W in sec tion DE is constantly open at circuit controller O on signal S and the shunt across the rails of section DE is therefore ineffective. A circuit is now established which passes from battery Z through pole-changer P wire 117, rail 1 of section D-E, relay h or a shunt in the section, rail 1, wires 118 and 119, contact 1141-41 1 of controller A", wire 130, circuit controller N wire 120, and pole-changer P back to battery Z W' hen this circuit is closed, it is clear that section DE is supplied with energy in the form of direct current of normal relative polarity and that this current is broken up into a group of impulses once each two seconds. This I will term the proceed code.

Referring now to Fig. 5, I will explain one form of governing mechanism adapted to cooperate with the trackway apparatus just described. In these drawings I have shown the mechanism on a train, though it can equally well be used at a wayside location. Mounted in front of the forward axle o of a train V are two magnetiZa-ble cores 52 and 52 in inductive relation to the track rails 1 and 1*, respectively. Core 52 is provided with a winding 53, and core 52 is provided with a similar winding 53 The two windings 53 and 53 are connected in series in such a manner that the current induced in these two windings by alternating currents flowing in opposite directions at any instant in the track rails will be additive. The windings 53 and 53, I shall hereinafter refer to collectively as the track coil. The terminals 8 and t of this track coil are connected, through amplifying apparatus 5 1, to the primary 55 of a transformer 55. The secondary 55 of this transformer is connected with a relay IV which for purposes of simplicity I shall call the main relay. Interposed between secondary 55 of transformer 55 and relay W is a rectifier 56. One purpose of this rectifier is to enable the use of a direct current main relay. If the rectifier were not interposed an alternating current relay would be necessary which is not as eiiicient. For purposes of my invention either arrangement may be used. Alternating current supplied by transformer secondary is transformed by rectifier 56 into a substantially unidirec tional current which energizes relay W. Relay W energized only when direct current is supplied thereto by rectifier 56, but this rectifier can be supplied with alternating current only through transformer 55 to which energy is sunplied in accordance with current flowing in the traclr rails. It follows that relay will beenergized only when a current capable of inducing an alternating voltage in the track coil is flowing in rails 1 and 1 I A selecting means, here shown as a time measuring device X, is controlled by relay W. As shown in the drawings, this time measuring device X comprises a motor device 57 and a movable contact finger 6O operated thereby. Finger 6O cooperates with two fixed contact members 61 and 62. The parts are so designed and proportioned that after device 5? hascbeen energized for a time interval approxiinatdy. equal to the open circuit period of contacts 34-34 and 343l of circuit controller A in'Fig. 1, contact 62 closes, and that after the device 57 has been energized for a time interval approximately equal to the closed circuit period of contact mane of controller A, contact 6061 closes. In other words, energization of device X for approximately one second is required to close contact 6062, and energization for approximately two seconds is required to close contact 6061, The motor device 57 is energized from a suitable source of energy, not shown in the drawings but provided wit-h two terminals B and C, over the following circuit: from one terminal B of the source, through back contact 6363 of relay TV, wire 67, motor device 57, and back to the other terminal C of the source. It is therefore clear that motor device 57 will be energized only when relay is deenergized.

Associated with device X are two auxiliary relays 58 and 59. Theserelays are controlled as will be explained hereinafterand they control, in turn, governing mechanism of any desired form. As here shown this mecha nism comprises three signal lamps G, Y and R, which may be mounted in the cab of the locomotive to acquaint the engineman with traflic conditions in advance. The circuit for lamp G passes from one terminal B of the energy source, through front contact TO -7O of relay 59, wire 7 2, and lamp G to terminal C of the energy source. This circuit is closed only when relay 59 is energized,

under which condition lamp G is lighted and a proceed indication is given by the signal. If relay 59 is deenergized and relay 58 is energized, lamp Y is lighted over a circuit wire 75, and lamp R to terminal C of the energy source. The lamps R, Y and G may be given distinctive colors as red, yellow and green, in accordance with standard signaling practice to indicate .stop, caution and proceed, respectively.

I will first assume that the track rails are supplied with energy in the form of successive groups of current impulses, each group being separated fromthe preceding group by a time interval of substantially one second. Relay EV will be" periodically energized once each second, but during the time interval between successive energizations the relay will of course .be deenergized, and the circuit for motor device 57will be closed, so that at the expiration of this interval contact 60-62 will be closed. Eachtime relay W is energized and before contact 60-62 has time to open, current will be momentarily delivered to an auxiliary slow-releasing relay 58 over a circuit which passes from one terminal B of the energy source, through front contact 63* 3? of main relay W, wire 66, contact 6062 of device X, wire 68, and windingof auxiliary relay 58 to the other terminal C of the energy source. When relay WV opens,

relay 58 is of course deenergized but its slowreleasing feature prevents 1ts front contact 71-7 1 opening during the one second interval in which relay WV is open, and so this contact remains closed as long as relay W is intermittently energized at the proper intervals. Lamp Y is therefore lighted and the train receives a caution indication.

If the track rails are periodically supplied with groups of current impulses at intervals of substantially two seconds, the longer periods of deenergization'of relay W allow contact 6061 to close and the following circuit is closed for the second auxiliary relay 59 each time relay Vie energized, from one terminal B of the energy source, through front contact 6363 of relay WV, wire 66, contact 6061 of device X, wire 69, and winding of relay 59 to the other terminal C of the energy source. The front contact -70 of relay 59 is kept closed, by this periodic energy supply just as explained in connection with relay 58. Under this condition lamp G is lighted and the train receives a proceed indication. It is clear that any desired number of auxiliary relays could thus be selectively operated by track circuit currents of different characteristics. It should be particularly noted that a continuously alternating current in the track rails would cause a constant energization of relay WV. As a result the contacts of device X would remain open and both-relays 58 and 59 would be deenergized. This condition is assumed to exist in Fig. 5 and the parts are illustrated in corresponding positions. If no alternating or pulsating current, or if steady direct current, should flow in the track rail, no energy will be induced in the track coil and relay V1 will be constantly deenergized. As a result armature would be moved into its extreme upper position, indicated in broken lines at 60" in the drawings, in which position contacts 60-61 and 6062 would both be open. In either of the cases just mentioned relays 58 and 59 would both be deenergized and lamp It would therefore be lighted and the train would receive a stop indication.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the apparatus is so arranged that in place of groups of impulses separated by time intervals, as in Fig. 1, the trackway is supplied with a series of single impulses, each impulse being separated from the preceding impulse by a time interval the duration of which is dependent upon traffic conditions in advance. The operation will be evident from the drawings in which the proceed code, consisting of an impulse every two seconds, is supplied to the section EF by battery 55" over contact 38-33 on circuit controller A and circuit controller N operated by signal The circuit for supplying the proceed code is closed only when the associated signal indicates caution or proceed. In case signal S indicates stop, a circuit is closed over which current passes from battery m through wires 36 and 12 i, circuit controller O on signal S wire 125, winding of relay wire 126, contact 3 l3 1 or Zia-3Q of devi e A and wire 129 back tobattery m It follows that when the circuit just traced is completed at circuit controller O relay 70 is deenergized once each second, the contacts 8% and 34 being proportioned as in Fig. 1. Each time relay is) is energized, a path of low resistance is closed acrossthe rails of section E-F at point B, thus discontinuing the supply of energy between points E and B. It therefore. follows that when signal S is at stop, the portion of section EF between point B and point F is supplied with continuous energy, whereas, the portion of the section between point B and point E is briefly supplied with energy once each second.

trainis obtained by measuring the time intervals between successive impulses, or groups of impulses, and not by measuring the duration of these impulses or groups of impulses.

In Fig. 3, the proceed code is supplied to the trackway in the same manner as in Fig. 1, but the relay in for creating a low resistance shunt at point B is replaced by the secondary 10 of an auxiliary track transformer U connected directly across the track rails. The transformer is so constructed that the ohmic resistance of the secondary 10 is comparatively high. Finger 34 of each circuit controller A is replaced by a finger 131, whichcooperates with a sector 131 having several teeth near each extremity. It follows that as controller A oscillates, the circuit containing contact 131131 will be opened several times in quick succession at two places in each complete cycle of the controller, so that a group of interruptions will occur once each second. Referring particularly to section EF, primary winding ll of transformer U is provided with a circuit which passes from battery m through wires 36 and 124i, circuit controller 0 on signal S when this signal is at stop, wire 132, contact l31131 of controller A, wire 133, primary 11 of transformer U, and wire 134: back to battery m This circuit is closed only when signal S indicates stop, under which condition direct current is supplied to primary 11 of transformer U in groups of impulses separated by time intervals of substantially one second. The impulses in primary 11 induce alternating current in secondary 10 which is connected directly with the track rails, and the caution code is thus supplied to the section bet-ween points E and B. The operation of the apparatus will be understood without further explanation.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the apparatus for supplying the caution code to the section is the same as in Fig. 8, except that a condenser 135 is interposed between one rail of the section and the associated transformer U. This prevents short-circuiting the direct track circuit current but allows the alternating pulsations to pass from the transformer to the rails of the section. Referring particularly to section EF, the track battery is constantly connected with the rails of the section through polechanger P and secondary winding 4 of a track transformer T The primary of this transformer is provided with a circuit which passes from battery m through wires 36 and 136, circuit controller N operated by signal S primary 5 of transformer T wire 13?, contact 1l.l11 1 of controller A and wires 138 ai l 35 back to battery m. It will be plain from the foregoing that when signal S is at stop, direct current of reverse relative polarity is constantly supplied to section E-I" by battery Z, and that the caution code is superposed upon this current at point B by transformer U When signal S is at caution or proceed, the circuit for primary 11 of transformer U is open at circuit controller O direct current of normal relative polarity is constantly supplied to section EF by battery Z, and the proceed code due to contact 11411al is superposed upon this current by transformer T Although Ihave herein shown and described only a few forms and arrangements of railway traliic controllin apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that va"ious changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the Y spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a section of railway track, a source of direct current, and means operated by current from said source for transforming said current from said source into pulsating current and periodically supplying such pulsating current to the rails of said section.

2. In combination a section of railway track, a source of direct current, a. motor operated by current from said source, and means operated by said motor for transforming current from said source into pulsatingcurrent and periodically supplying such pulsating current to the rails of said section.

3. In combination, a section of railway track, a source of direct current, a pendulum, contacts operated by said pendulum, a net operated by current from said source and controlled by one of said contacts for causing sustained oscillation of said pendulum, and means including another of said contacts for periodically supplying pulsating current from said source to the rails of said section.

4. In combination, a section of railway track, a source of direct current, a pendulum, means for causing sustained oscillation of said pendulum, and means including said pendulum for periodically supplying pulsating current from said source to the rails of said section.

5. In combination, a section of railway track, a member mounted to oscillate, a contact operated by said member, .means controlled by said contact for causing sustained oscillation of said member, two additional contacts operated by said member in accordv ance with two codes, a source of current, and means for supplymg current from said source to the rails of sald section through one ofsaid additional contacts or the other depending on trallic conditions in advance of said section. V I

6. Railway traflic controlling apparatus comprising a stretch of railway track, means for at times supplying said stretch with sue cessive groups of direct current impulses each such group being separated from the preceding group by a time interval, means for at other times supplying said stretch with successive groups of alternating current impulses each such group being separated from the preceding group by a time interval different from said first time interval, and trafiic governing means responsive to the lengths of such intervals.

7. Railway tralfic controlling apparatus comprising a stretch of railway track, means for at times supplying said stretch with successive groups of direct current impulses each such group being separated from the preceding group by a time interval, a transformer having its secondary winding connected across the rails of the stretch, means for supplying the primary of such transformer with successive groups of direct current impulses each such group being separated from the preceding group by a time interval difierent from said first time interval, and train carried governing means selectively responsive to the lengths of said time intervals.

8. Railway traffic controlling apparatus comprising a stretch of railway track, a circuit including the rails of the stretch and a source of energy and the secondary of a transe former, means for at times supplying the primary of said transformer with successive groups of direct current impulses, and train carried governing means responsive to such groups of impulses in the track rails.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HERBERT A. WALLACE. 

